


Memories

by EveWillows33112



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Hubert and Ferdinand belonged together, Hurt and comfort, I had to kill Ferdinand in my game and I just needed to write out my feels, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Not Canon Compliant, Sad, You can't tell me they didn't get married, really sad, this is just sad schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 21:10:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20589173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveWillows33112/pseuds/EveWillows33112
Summary: Edelgard had only wanted to put a flower crown on her friend's grave, instead, she became privy to a very private conversation between Hubert and his deceased husband.Better than it sounds.





	Memories

**Author's Note:**

> I had a bad case of the sads and this was born. I had to kill Ferdinand in my game, and I just couldn't get it out of my head. Please enjoy!   
-S

The catacombs weren't pleasant. They weren't supposed to be. They weren't pretty or aesthetic, or easy to be in. But Edelgard was on an important mission. In her hands, she held a calla lily flower crown that she wanted to put on Ferdinand's tomb. She did this every now and again when she had the time in between her own duties. But today, she was really missing him so she made time. 

Ferdinand's tomb was larger than most. He was prime minister after all, and the husband of her right hand. Even in death, he got a beautiful final resting place even if it was underground. Pushing open the door and closing it behind her Edelgard started towards the stone coffin that held her friend but there was something odd, a smell, not dusty or anything. It was floral, rose?

Edelgard gasped softly when she saw Hubert putting flowers in the vases and lighting candles. She slipped behind a pillar and poked her head out while Hubert walked around doing his routine as he did every day. Flowers, candles, incense, rose petals on top of the grave lid. Shit, she cursed to herself, she should've checked the time. Hubert always came down after supper. 

"Hello my love," Hubert said while he sat down with his back against the stone coffin. "Happy anniversary, four years now," he said. Edelgard watched as Hubert brought his ungloved hands up and started to twist his wedding ring slowly. "Goddess four years...right in the middle of a war. A whirlwind wedding, I believe you called it," he said and leaned his head back against the stone looking up at the ceiling of the crypt. "Ah my love, you were beautiful that day. I was breathless when I saw you in that white suit and that calla lily crown upon your head. And how prettily you blushed!" He laughed quietly. "Ah, that blush! You almost turned the same color as your hair! My blushing bride," he smiled widely, and so easily. 

Edelgard swallowed thickly and looked down at the floor. She shouldn't be listening to this but if she turned back down Hubert would hear her and she didn't want to ruin the warm space he created for himself. Biting her lip she took a step back, she'd chance it if only to give him privacy. Then she heard a laugh, not a dark or mirthless laugh, but a happy one. A real laugh. 

"Oh Goddess!" he laughed putting his hand on his forehead. "I remember, I remember when we started courting! After we exchanged gifts! You could never stop blushing! It was permanent!" he laughed and covered his face when he continued to laugh. Edelgard doesn't believe she's ever heard him laugh, not like this. A chuckle here and there, but she's never heard a full laugh. What did Ferdinand do to Hubert? 

"I remember asking you if you were a tomato or a raspberry! And do you remember what you did? You just blushed darker! You were so dark, that I ended up calling you a cherry!" He laughed a little longer before he sighed dreamily leaning back against the stone. "Oh, my love how I miss that blush...but the thing I miss the most. Not your smile, nor your laugh, or your kisses, or the feeling of your hair in my fingers. The thing I miss the most?" he swallowed thickly taking a shuddering breath while he closed his eyes.   
"Your company," he said. "I just miss your presence around me. I miss waking up to you in my arms. I miss the times we'd go to the gardens and sit under our tree, my head in your lap or my back against your chest and you'd just hold me, and we'd just sit in silence. Or the nights we'd spend in our bed, bathed in the light from the fireplace and we'd just talk. Just talk. About everything and nothing..." he sighed heavily. "I miss those talks, some nights we'd talk until the firelight died, and the sun came up." 

Edelgard was leaned against the pillar at this point, silent tears slipping down her face her hand covering her mouth while the other hand gripped the calla lily crown. Just like the one she made for Ferdinand on his and Hubert's wedding day. 

Hubert sighed heavily and Edelgard heard him shift a little. She peeked around the corner and saw him with his knees up to his chest and he had gone back to turning his wedding band. He looked lost in thought for a while, just staring at his wedding ring and twisting it. It almost made her jump when he started talking again. 

"I remember..." Hubert started. "The first time I took you into my bed," he said. "We were huddled by the fire in my room, you were reading a book to me, poetry. I remember I just looked at you, that's all I did. Your hair was braided, you had the most content look on your face while you read out loud. The sparkle in your eyes. I knew at that moment I was in love with you, it was that moment I knew. I remember just kissing you and the way you clutched on to me. I don't remember what happened between that and going to the bed just that when I had you underneath me and the sweetest sounds were escaping your lips. The way you clutched on to me, my name on your tongue, your thighs trembling afterward, and that gasping voice afterward as you said, 'I love you.' That was the first time I think we even said it to each other, it was so early on in our courting but I knew I loved you too," he swallowed thickly and tears slipped down his face. He didn't even wipe them away, he just let them fall freely, dripping onto the stone. 

"I never said it enough did I?" he asked, his voice filled with regret. "Those three words that you'd tell me many times a day. I never really said them to you, I tried showing it. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew it wasn't nearly enough. I never even told you when you left that day did I?" he laughed, bitterly this time. "Ah my sweet, I loved you," he said. "I loved you with all of my black heart. I know I never said it, but somehow I think you knew. You always had a way of knowing me and my meanings," he sighed softly. "And now you're gone...you're gone and I can't tell you these things. I can only speak to your corpse, and just remember." 

Hubert fell into silence again for a long while. Edelgard risked one more look at him and saw him with his head buried in his knees, his shoulders trembling. It took Edelgard a moment to figure out he was crying. She chanced another look at the door, she had already intruded enough. She'd go and wait until Hubert left until she brought her gift. As she took a step back Hubert spoke. 

"Don't go," she heard Hubert's croak in his voice. Oh shit. "My lady...please join me," he called, his voice echoing. Edelgard swallowed hard and stepped out from behind the pillar into Hubert's sight. The man's eyes were red, and tears were still falling. 

"I-I didn't mean to intrude," she said folding her hands in front of her, the crown dangling from her fingers. "It was unforgivable of me. I should've left the moment I saw you," she said. 

"And yet you stayed," Hubert said smiling wryly. "I can't be mad though, I'm kind of glad you were here. At least it was a pair of listening ears and not just...emptiness. My own echo," he said. He looked at the crown in her hand and the smile turned into a genuine smile. "Did you make that?" he asked. 

"Yes," Edelgard said while she stepped up to the coffin and placed it on top of it and ran her fingers over the name. 

Ferdinand von Vestra  
Husband, son, brother, friend.  
Rest in peace, my angel. I love you. -Hubert

"How long has it been?" she asked. 

"A year," Hubert said dryly. The two lapsed in silence and Edelgard sighed softly lifting her skirts to sit next to Hubert on the steps. 

"Only a year, feels longer..." she said. 

"The winters are longer when the sun doesn't rise," Hubert said. Edelgard nodded and the silence filled again. "How much did you hear?" Hubert asked. 

"Everything. You must've really, really loved him," she said looking at her friend and advisor. 

"I did, very much," he said and looked at his ring. "There's no one in the world like him, and there's no one else in the world I would take as mine. He was it," he said. "I'll never marry again, I know that. Hell, maybe I will never love again," he said. "Not a love that'll be as strong or pure as my love for him," Hubert sighed leaning his head back. 

"Can I tell you some of my memories?" she asked looking straight ahead. "Seems only fair," she looked at Hubert who's eyes were on her then a smile crossed his features. 

"I'd like that," he said moving over so Edelgard could lean back. They sat there together, reminiscing, laughing and crying. Remembering and loving their friend and husband until the sun went down and the moon came up and even long after that. And somewhere in the midst of it, sitting next to Hubert resting his head on his shoulder, Ferdinand's spirit sat and listened with a small smile on his face.


End file.
